Sliding and rotating bolt latch



April 4, 1961 R. POE

SLIDING AND ROTATING BOLT LATCH 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Aug. 12, 1958 III INVENTOR. [1 0X0 Pat BY A Trolls/v5 s April 4, 1961 POE 2,978,266

SLIDING AND ROTATING BOLT LATCH Filed Aug. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5'

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I1 INVENTOR. ,lzoyp 8. P01

2,978,266 7 SLIDING AND ROTATING BOLT LATCH the accommodation of a handle for the latch construc- Lloyd R. Poe, Pacific lalisades, Calif assignor to Hartwell AviationSupply Co., 'Los Angeles, Calif., a corrotation of California:

Filed Au 12, 1958, Ser. No. 754,685 '3 Claims. (Cl. 232-57 Second, to provide a latch. construction of this type which incorporates a novel means for etfectinglongitudinal .slidingmovement' of the latch-bolt for entry :into a mating keeper, a rotating movement after entry into the keeper, and a sliding return movement to draw and latch the' keeper and bolt together.

Third, to provide a latch construction of this type whereinaltern'ate.arcuate reciprocation of the handle ef fects alternate latchingandunlatching of the bolt and keeper;v

Fourth, to provide a-latch construction which may be arranged so-that the keeper member may also function as a. bolt projecting between the structures joined by the latcli'and arranged to withstand-shear loads.

With the aboveandother objects in view, as may ap pearrhereinafter, reference is directed to the'accompanying-drawingsin which: r v

Figure 1 is azlongitudinal.sectionalwiew of the: sliding and rotating bolt latchishown; inits" closed or locked position, and'withithe surroundinggstructuresjoined'by the latch being; shownfragmentarily andain sectiony" Figure '2 is a: fragmentary sectional" view' showing. a

modified construction.wherein'the. latch keeper also functio'ns'as ajlatch b'olt; i

Figure 3 is aufragmentary viewofitheroperating"shaft and. itsrbushing taken: through" 3--3. of Figure 1' 1;

Figure 4 is a. longitudinal sectional View similar to Figure 1; showing the sliding and rotating bolt latch-in its'open position;. v Figure 5 is aktop viewi ofi'the boltlatch with portions in section and. with the structures joined by the latch shown iragm'entarily andpartially in plan; Figure '6 is". a transverse sect-ionalfview through'e -fi o F gu V Figure'7 isfa transverse sectionahview 7'--7 of Figure;4;, Y

Figure 8 is a' transver'sesectionalview through 858 of Figure .4; j Y f Figure 9 is a partial'end and partial sectional view taken along the line 9 --9; of Figure i j Theysliding and rotating bolt glatch may bearranged to jo'in various types of. structures.- However, for the purposes r of. illustration, mating {structures-A and A are: shown which include closely; spaced,- parallelbeams B and B between- .which are" mounted the" elements of the .latch construction. ,Theg'bearns are joined at'qtheir con: fronting.-:ends-by iend members C and C and; the mating tion, as will be described hereinafter.

The latchconstruction includes a frame 1 which may include parallel members, each in the form. of an inverted U. These members are joined by end portions in which are mounted coaxial sliding bearings 2 and 3. Slidably and rotatably mounted in the bearing 2 is a bolt 4 having a head 5 formed by laterally projecting portions. i

The bolt 4 screw threads into a coaxial operating shaft 6 and is adapted to be locked in longitudinal adjustment therein by a locking pin 7.: The operating shaft 6- is slidably and rotatablymounted in the slide bearing 3 and projects therebetween to terminate in a ratchet head 8, which in the drawing is shown as having four ratchet teeth disposed at 90 intervals. The bearing 3 is provided with a pair of'diametrically disposed quadrant slots 3a, and the shaft 6 is provided with a cross pin 6a which rides therein. The pin and slots cooperate with the ratchet head t5, as will be brought out hereinafter.

Slidable on the operating shaft 6. between an abut.- ment ring 9 and the head 8 is a slide spool 10 having external flanges at its axial ends. A spring 11 interposes between .the ring. 9 and the spool 10 and urges the spool towards theheadfij The slide spool 19 is provided with-a helical slot 12, preferably occupying a- 90 arc, and. is arranged to receive a roller 13 extending laterally fromthe operating shaft 6,.so that on relative axial movement of thespool and operating shaft a corresponding relativehelical movement occurs.

Mounted on the slide spool 10 is asleeve 1.4 which is-capable of limited slidingmovementbetween theend the lever 18 to urge the lever radially inWard'into-engagement with the teeth of the ratchet head-i5;

JIYhe sleeve .14. is provided with diametrically disposed bearing. recesses which receive-journal elements 20 m tlie'form. of internal bosses atthe extremity of an operating yoke'Zl. 1 The operating yoke constitutes a-lever or link member which extendsupwardly and forwardly} or toward the frame 1 and is journaled on atransverse shaft 22 mounted in a handle member 23.. p

The. handle member 23 is preferably formedyofsheet materialrand is channel-shape incrosssection'so-that1the shaft 221's journaled between the fianges of the channelshape handle member.

The handle member 23 is pro vided near the shaft22 with ajsecond.transverseor-ful, crumshaft 24, the extremities of which-ridein slots :25 provided in the frame 1. The frame itselfis secured by mounting bolts 26 between the'beams B of the struc-q tureIA'. Reinforcing links -2 4a e'xtend betweenthe shafts 22 and 24. e .7 1- ;Thehandle member .23 fits-within and; fiilsfi the slot E and "occupies a flush: position therein when -the latoh. is

infits closed position. The .handle member 23 'is provided with a slot in which iskjournaled an: auxiliary" latch :lever 27, which may-alsotbe formed ofis'heet material and is of channel-shapecross section sothat theilatcli structures,arecovered byrskin members D -and D A; lever 27 maybe; disposed flush' with 'tlie web 0 lie slot! E is: formed? inrtheflskin D fr-betweeni thebeams. :for

handleimemberili; 5 r

The latch lever 27 is pivotally supported relative to the handle member 23 by a journal pin 28. The latch lever 27 extends downwardly from the handle member 23, that is, toward the axis of the operating shaft 6, and terminates in hook elements 29 adapted to engage a cross pin 30 when the handle member is in its closed position, such as shown in Figure 1.

The slide bearing 2 may be arranged to fit within the aperture formed in the end member C so that the head of the bolt 4 may project beyond the structure A and into the mating structure A.

Mounted between the beams B of the mating structure is a keeper 31 which is U-shaped in plan. A cross portion or web 32 of the U-shaped keeper may register with an opening provided in the end member C and aligns with the bearing 2 and bolt 4. The web 32 is provided with a bore 33 which receives the bolt 4 and is provided with side slots 34 to accommodatethe laterally projecting portions of the head 5 when the bolt is properly oriented relative to the keeper 31.

Operation of the sliding and rotating bolt latch is as follows:

The handle member 23 is connected through the yoke 21 to the sleeve 14 in such a manner that pivotal movement of the handle member 23 between the closed position shown in Figure 1 and the angular position shown in Figure 4 causes the sleeve 14 to reciprocate on the operating shaft 6. Outward movement of the handle member causes the sleeve 14 to move in the direction of the bolt 4. This outward movement causes the tooth to engagein one of the positioning notches 16 so as to restrain the sleeve from rotation.

Initially the sleeve 14 and operating shaft 6 move in unison, the operating shaft being moved by reason of the spring 11 interposed between the sleeve and the operating shaft. During this initial movement, the bolt head 5 moves clear of the keeper 31. During this initial movement, the cross pin 6a is within the bearing 3 and engages one arcuate extremity of each slot 3a to prevent rotation of the shaft 6 in one direction, whereas a notch on the ratchet head 8 prevents rotation in the opposite direction.

Continued movement of the handle member 23 causes the sleeve 14 to move forward relative to the operating shaft 6 so that the helical slot 12 acts on the roller '13 to cause a quarter turn of the operating shaft, bolt, and head as soon as the pin 6a clears the bearing 3, as shown in Figure 4.- This movement brings the head into alignment with the side slots 37 in the keeper 31 so that the bolt head may be withdrawn. 7

Return movement of the handle member 23, that is, movement in a clockwise direction from the position me 4 to the position shown in Figure l first causes the head 5 to rotate and then causes the bolt 4 to be retracted, drawing the two structures A and A together.

In the construction shown in Figure l, the bolt 4 constitutes the shear member between the two structures A and A and also the tension member therebetween. However, as shown in Figure 2, the keeper 31 may be converted into a bolt member 31a and the bolt 4 converted into a tension or draw member 4a with a draw head 5a. In this construction, a slide bearing 2a is substituted for the slide bearing 2 and is provided with a keeper recess 2b. The bolt member 31a is provided at its cross portion or web with a bolt extension 3112 adapted to enter the recess 2b. Except for the fact that the members 4 and 5 cease to be a bolt and head, but instead a draw bar 4a and draw head 5a, the interaction of the draw head 5a and bolt member 31a are the same as in the first described structures. The draw bar 4a serves merely as a tension member, shear stresses being taken by the bolt extension 31b.

While particular embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the exact details of the constructions set forth, and it embraces such changes, modifications, and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A latch construction, comprising: a guide frame; a'bolt slidably and rotatably mounted therein and having a keeper-engaging head adapted for engagement with a mating keeper when in a first angular position and to clear said keeper when in a second angular position; an inner rotatable sleeve and an outer nonrotatable sleeve on said bolt; helical groove and pin means to effect a predetermined relative angular movement of said inner sleeve and bolt on reciprocation of said bolt; means carried by said outer sleeve to restrain said inner sleeve against rotation during movement relative to said bolt in one axial direction; means carried by said outer sleeve and bolt to restrain said bolt against rotation during movement of said bolt in the opposite axial direction; said means cooperating with said head to move said head alternately between said first and second positions; and handle means for reciprocating said bolt.

2. A latch construction adapted to be mounted in a pair of confronting structures; a handle mounted in one of said structures and movable between a position flush with said structure and an angular position extending therefrom; a guide frame; a bolt slidably and rotatably shown in Figure 4, causes the entire assembly including the sleeve 14, operating shaft 6, bolt 4, and head 5 to move rearwardly. During this movement, the ratchetengaging lever 18 engages the ratchethead 8 and the cross pin 6a engages the shoulders formed by the quadrant slots 3a, to prevent rotation of the operating shaft 6, bolt 4, and head 5, but the sleeve 14 is permitted to make a quarter turn. Thus, on return of the handle member 23 to the position shown in Figure 1, or to approximately this position, the bolt 4 is retracted and mounted therein, and having a keeper-engaging head adapted for engagement with a mating keeper when in a first angular position and to clear said keeper when in a second angular position; an inner and an outer sleeve on said bolt; helical groove and pin means to elfect a predetermined relative angular movement of said inner sleeve and bolt on reciprocation of said bolt; means restraining said outer sleeve against rotation; means carried by said outer sleeve to restrain said inner sleeve against rotathe bolt head remains in the position to which it. was

turned during the opening movement of the handle; that is, the bolt head occupies a position 90 from. the position shown in Figure 1, in alignment with the slots 37 in the keeper 31. V

7 When the handle member 23 is again moved counterclockwise from the position shown in Figure 1, the shaft 6 and bolt 4 first move forward and are held against rotation until the pin 6a clears the bearing 3 and the head 5 has passed through the keeper 31, whereupon the interaction of the helical slot 12 and roller '13 turns the head 5 into locking position. Clockwise 'movement of the handle member 23 from the position shown in Figtion during movement relative to said bolt in one axial direction; means carried by said outer sleeve and bolt to restrain said bolt against rotation during movement of said bolt in the opposite axial direction; said means cooperating with said head to move said head alternately be tween said first. andsecond positions; and an operating link interconnecting said handle and bolt.

3. A latch construction, comprising: a guide frame; a bolt structure axially slidable and rotatable in said guide frame, and including a keeper-engaging head at one end arranged for movement between a keeper-engaging position and a keeper-releasing position, and a transversely disposed operating pin; an inner sleeve axiallyand rotatably movable on said bolt structure and defining-a helical slot to receive said pin to effect relative rotation of said inner sleeve and bolt structure upon relative reciprocation thereof; a spring urging said inner sleeve to asraaee inner sleeve; connecting means joined to said outer sleeve to retain said outer sleeve against rotation; a handle for operating said connecting means to effect axial movement of said outer sleeve thereby to eflect axial movement of said inner sleeve and bolt structure; ratchet and pawl means carried by said outer sleeve and bolt structure to limit rotation of said bolt structure relative to said outer sleeve to one direction, said means tending to stop said bolt structure in its keeper-engaging or its keeperreleasing positions; cooperating notch and tooth means carried by said inner and outer sleeves for interlocking said inner and outer sleeves when in one axial relation,

and to free said inner sleeve when in their opposite axial position, said ratchet and pawl means and notch and tooth means being alternately operable, whereby on reciprocation of said sleeves and bolt structure said bolt structure is caused to rotate progressively between alternate keeper-engaging and keeper-releasing positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 897,924 Prouty Sept. 8, 1908 1,907,625 Vogt May 9, 1933 2,703,431 Tatorn Mar. 8, 1955 2,721,750 Rudis et a1. Oct. 25, 1955 

